House Conservatives Back Short-Term Debt Limit Hike

John McCormack

January 18, 2013 1:31 PM

In a joint statement, current and former chairmen of the conservative Republican Study Committee endorse the plan to raise the debt ceiling for a few months in exchange for the Senate's producing a budget:

Current and former Chairmen of the Republican Study Committee Reps. Scalise, Jordan, Price, and Hensarling, today issued the following statement on the path to a balanced budget and controlled Washington spending.

“Preserving the American Dream for future generations is dependent on controlling Washington spending and ending Washington budget gimmicks. Out of control Washington spending is killing American jobs, while placing an unbearable mountain of debt on the backs of our children and grandchildren. The old way of doing things has to end. It is time to put American families first by moving the federal government towards a budget that balances in the next ten years.

“The first step to halting Washington’s spending addiction is passing a budget that cuts spending. The House has passed such a budget, and will again. For the past four years, the United States Senate has refused to pass a budget at all, failing the American people in the process. That practice has to end this year.

“Next week, we will vote for a bill requiring that the Senate pass a budget, or the Senators’ own salary will be withheld. It’s simple: The American people expect Washington to pass a budget and live by it. No budget, no pay. That will represent the first step to put us on a path to a balanced federal budget in the next 10 years.

“Unless we quickly address the skyrocketing national debt, America will continue to follow Greece down the path towards insolvency. In order to allow time for the Senate to act, next week's bill will extend the debt limit for three months. This is a necessary first step as we work to halt the decline of America and puts the focus where it belongs: on the Senate who has failed to do their jobs to pass a budget for more than three years.”

As part of agreement, the House will work to put the country on the path to a balanced budget in 10 years. House leadership also agreed to stand by the $974 billion discretionary number that is part of the sequestration process.

Jim Jordan of Ohio is a key conservative vote, and with his support it seems likely that Republicans will have enough votes to pass this bill without any Democratic support.

Harry Reid's spokesman Adam Jentleson responded to the GOP plan, saying, "If the House can pass a clean debt ceiling increase to avoid default and allow the United States to meet its existing obligations, we will be happy to consider it."